We did the Fantasmic Dessert Party back in June 2004 when it was up on the balcony. We were in the first row, and while we were packed in like sardines- we had a glorious view and the desserts were wonderful.
DH & I are returning to California for the first week in May 2010. Are the crowds heavy enough that we will need this experience?
Is the view now that you are down on the ground much different? Will we be disappointed after such a wonderful experience in 2004?
You may not be dissapointed, but we were, and we have tried to like riverside each of the 4 times we've tried it since the balcony closed. Even when riverside tried a buffet offering back in 2005 it didn't touch the stellar experience of the balcony.
The balcony was soooo much better than riverside, IMHO.
The boxed desserts are no where near as nice as the balcony buffet was. They don't use the china, clothe napkins, etc at riverside. You get styrofoam cups, paper napkins, etc.
The CMs at riverside, while nice enough, aren't in traditional NOS costumes and have limited ability to get substitutions for those that don't like the box offerings.
The balcony was run by foods (with the CMs being the best of the best from the BB) while riverside is run by special events.
The view is very different. The view from the balcony was totally unupstructed. The view from riverside, while closer, is inferior as you have a railing and posts at eye level and people infront of the area standing, walking etc, that can upstruct your view throughout the show. Not to mention the balcony was dead center to the ROA and riverside is set in front of the side water screen to the left of center.
The other down side is that when you made your ressie for balcony your seat was assigned at that time as oppossed to riverside that requires checking in and usually waiting an hour or more to get front row. IMHO that takes away one of the biggest perks for buying reserved seats. Even if only one person from your party needs to line up in advance to get your seat preferance, it is time at DL that shouldn't have be spent waiting in a line .
Yes there is more room at riverside but also WAAAAY more people. We much more enjoyed less space with a more imtimate and exclusive experience on the balcony. You were removed from the masses on the balcony and had very little distractions and outside noise to deal with. Not so with riverside. The max seating on the balcony was 22 with an average of 18. There were 3 CMs to service guests on the balcony, giving you 1 CM for every 6 guests, on average. Not sure how many seats are currently at riverside but there certainly are not enough CMs to deliver the same level of service that was had on the balcony.
Lastly there was just such a special feeling to be in the gallery and have the balcony doors slide open with a CM dressed in NOS costume call your name lead you through those doors, close them behind you, lead you to your seats and then show you to the buffet while they prepared your beverages and had them ready to hand to you once you were seated. Then as soon as your berverage ran low the CMs were offering to refill or offering you a different beverage. One time on the balcony one of my children was telling me how they had a taste for the fritter things they sold below. Within a few minutes the CM was handing my daughter what she craved. We didn't ask for it nor was my child loud about it. That's just one example of the special service the CM on the balcony were able to provide due to the imtimate setting.
Not sure if we'll ever try riverside again. We were so spoiled by the balcony experience for so many years that we just don't find much magic at riverside seating. For guests that never were able to view F! from the balcony riverside will probabaly be more magical.
Right now I am hoping for a more exclusive offering for viewing WOC when it opens. I'm spending time with someone in the know about WOC next month. I'll see what they know and if it's anything written in stone (or as much as anything at DLR is a for sure) I'll post it on this thread or start a new one.
dsny1mom
